The American Spectator

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Modern Maturity

11.12.02 @ 12:01AM

PARSKY PRIZE
Re: George Neumayr's The California Dead:

Over the summer, George Neumayr blamed Bill Simon's campaign problems on liberal bias in the California media. Now he is blaming Simon's defeat on something he calls "liberal Republicans." This is typical of the political immaturity of the far-right of California Republicans.

George, I have some news for you. There are virtually no liberals in the Republican party. There are many moderate Republicans; for instance, there are legions of people who vote Republican because they are fiscally conservative but are basically pro-choice on abortion. Such people are not liberals; they just aren't doctrinaire far-right conservatives.

There are lots of similarly-minded people who do not automatically vote Republican -- these are the "independents," the "swing voters," and they have to be motivated to come to the polls and vote our way. Simon's failed to project himself as a serious, effective candidate to "swing voters" and that is why he lost.

California is now a thoroughly liberal state. How else can you explain voters approving every single bond measure ($20 billion worth) during a time of gaping state budget deficits? So, my fellow California Republicans, remember the lesson of Bill Simon during the primary in March 2006. Vote for the Republican who can persuade the "swing voters" in the general election. It was as plain as the nose on your face this last March that Bill Simon was not up to that job.
-- Tim Bacon
Wrightwood, CA

George Neumayr replies: Where were all those "legions" of moderate Republicans in the primary when Richard Riordan lost to Bill Simon by 18 points?

GRANHOLM FOR PRESIDENT
Re: Enemy Central's Major Regroupings:

There's another solution to this problem -- annex Canada, making all ex-Canucks eligible. Well, at least the ones born in North America.
-- H. Koenig

Nancy Pelosi as EOW? She will probably turn out to be a good friend of ours, in an indirect way. She should fill the role of Minority Leader quite well...for many years.
-- Ted Angell

WYOMING DIVIDE
Re: Bill Croke's What Happened in Al Simpson's Wyoming:
It saddens me greatly to hear that the GOP lost its hold on the Wyoming governor's mansion. I spent my adolescence in the Cowboy State and living there as a teenager helped me become the conservative that I am today.

Also, I am a former KTWO-TV employee and from my experience there management and the bulk of its workforce is a very nervous (and very left-wing) bunch. Many of them (who shall remain nameless) take much pleasure at taking shots at conservatives and the GOP on and off camera.

Alas, a well done piece.
-- Tyler M. Kimball
Reno, NV

THE ONE AND ONLY
Re: R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr.'s Lords of Innovation:

Does anyone understand Democrats better than Bob Tyrrell? Long before Don Imus -- in a speech to the Washington press corps -- likened Carville, Reno, Shalala, Reich, Achtenburg, and the other Clinton Democrats to the alien bar denizens in Star Wars, Tyrrell wrote The Liberal Crack-Up, in which he chronicled the lives of the passingly strange Democrats of the Carter era. This classic book, which may be out of print, was an epiphany -- opening my eyes that these creatures had escaped from their Brigadoon liberal village (heretofore I believed the regular Democrats lifted the spell on them and allowed their appearance only each four years in the a.m. hours of Democratic national conventions) and were abroad in the great world. In his book, Tyrrell recognized that they --- Cuomo, Abzug, Carter himself and others -- were essentially evildoers , but as only he can also limned how ridiculous they were. I gave copies of The Liberal Crack-Up to my sons when they were of political age and will do it again for my newly minted grandson, Nathaniel Wheatley Stiyer -- just 10 days old.
-- J. R. Wheatley

JEFFORDS LUBED
RE: Re: Jeremy Lott's Crocodile Tears:

Letter to the Editor

topics:
Taxes, Nancy Pelosi, Social Security, Abortion, NATO